Building blocks not yet in place for DAB radio switchover, admits comms minister Ed Vaizey

Ed Vaizey, the UK minister for culture, communications and creative industries, has admitted that the public’s limited uptake of DAB radios has harmed industry across the country.

During a visit to Panjab Radio on Friday Vaizey said that government plans for an all-digital radio future – expanding the available slots currently available with FM broadcasts – have been knee-capped by DAB radio’s slow penetration in the UK market.

Vaizey said: “It’s a big ask for people with five or 10 FM radios in their house to go out and buy ten digital radios.” On a potential FM to DAB switchover, he commented: “We want all the building blocks in place before we make a final decision.”

He added that there has been a lack of investment in DAB technologies in the UK and that the public were resistant to change: “It’s an emotive subject. People are quite understandably wedded to their FM radio. People really love radio in this country.”

However, the minister reiterated that DAB is slowly entering the mainstream commenting that 66 per cent of all new cars ship with such devices.

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John McCarthy

John is an entertainment marketing reporter at The Drum. He writes about the amazing marketing stories coming from the movie, TV, music and video game industries. He's also the hunt for the weirder trends in marketing and advertising.